History

1995-1996 Early years and Introducing Save Ferris EP

The band came together after the dissolution of a number of Orange County, California bands.[2] With the band working together under their own "Starpool" label, they began to book shows around Southern California to a great underground response.[3]

The band released their debut EP Introducing Save Ferris on their own label, Starpool Records in 1996, and ended up selling close to 20,000 copies of their EP "out of the trunks of their cars." That year, Powell provided vocals on the Reel Big Fish song "She Has A Girlfriend Now" from their album Turn the Radio Off (Mojo), which is considered one of RBF's most requested songs to date.

Riding a wave of support from fans all over Southern California, Save Ferris became favorites of KROQ radio's legendary "Rodney on the Rock", which resulted in regular airplay on LA's world-famous KROQ radio station, possibly being the first unsigned band to do this in LA alternative radio history. Later that year, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gave the band a Grammy showcase award for best-unsigned band, earning them a recording contract with Epic Records (SONY).[4]

Save Ferris toured extensively in support of It Means Everything, opening for bands such as Sugar Ray, The Offspring, Goldfinger, and Reel Big Fish and two mainstage spots on the Vans Warped Tour in 1998 and 2000. In April 1998, they made their television debut on HBO's music series Reverb and made an on-screen appearance in the teen film, 10 Things I Hate About You. The album sold over 400,000 copies, and spawned three Top Ten hits in both Japan and Mexico. With two singles in the Billboard top 100 and full rotation on alternative radio all over the world, It Means Everything was able to go Platinum internationally.[7]

1998-1999 Modified Era

After the departure of the band's first drummer, Marc Harismendy,[8] in 1998, Save Ferris regrouped and released their appropriately titled sophomore album for Epic records, Modified, in October 1999. The album saw the band moving away from their ska-pop roots and into pop-punk territory. The album also spawned three Top Ten hits in both Japan and Mexico.[9]

Save Ferris supported Modified on tour throughout the next several years including a trek with Lit[10] in the U.S., a headlining tour of the UK and a center stage live performance at the Winter Olympics Snowboarding Championships in Salt Lake City.

2000-2003 Hiatus, and For the Fans Tour

Through the years, Save Ferris went through a number of changes in their lineup, most notably the departure of Brian Mashburn, the band's main songwriter, who quit Save Ferris in 2003. Soon to follow Mashburn were Eric Zamora and Bill Uechi, departing to start a new band.

Soon after the departure of Mashburn, Powell self-financed what she called the "For the Fans" Save Ferris US tour in 2003, which included a mainstage performance at Ska Summit in Las Vegas for over 10,000 fans.[11]

2004-2012 Post-breakup

From 2004 to 2008, Powell appeared on albums by The Used, Lostprophets, Hilary Duff, Goldfinger and others.[12] She also started a now defunct band called The Mojo Wire in 2008, and toured in the LA area after an overwhelming response to the four demos posted online .[13]

In 2003, Bill Uechi, Brian Mashburn, T-Bone Willy, Eric Zamora, and Oliver Zavala started the band Starpool with Alan Meade on vocals and Phil Hanson on drums.[14]

2013-present Revival

Save Ferris, now led by Powell, went on indefinite hiatus from 2003 until the spring of 2013, in which Powell once again regrouped and headlined the Pacific Amphitheatre in Orange County, CA to a sold out audience of over 7,000 fans, and another sold out show at the El Rey theater in Los Angeles.[15]

After two years of legal mediation in which some of the ex members sued Powell, and Powell responded with a countersuit, in 2015, www.saveferris.com and the official Save Ferris Facebook page, previously owned and run by some of the ex-members, was taken over by Powell in her new incarnation of Save Ferris, indicating that the name was legally awarded to Powell.[16] A message was later posted on the www.saveferris.com homepage in October 2015, indicating that the lawsuits between the members has been amicably resolved; the message has since been removed.[17]

Also in 2015, ASCAP songwriting records were updated to represent Powell as co-writer on a number of Save Ferris songs not previously represented in the liner notes of the albums.[18]

In 2016, Save Ferris ran a successful Pledge Music campaign to raise money for what would be the first new album in over 15 years. Their financial goal was hit in only a couple of weeks, fully funded by their fans. They co-headlined Mexico City Ska Fest 2016 with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones,[19] and headlined the hugely successful Santa Monica Pier Twilight Series in August to a crowd of approximately 30,000 people.[20]

On February 10, 2017, Save Ferris released the Checkered Past EP, their first release in 18 years. [21]The EP was produced by Oingo Boingo bassist John Avila and features a guest appearance by Neville Staple of The Specials on the EP's first single, "New Sound". The band will embark on a month and a half long tour starting in mid-February 2017. The band are currently on the US Warped Tour throughout the summer of 2017[22]. They played the anniversary show for the Lawrence Beer Company on August 31, 2018.